Cover for feed-through connector

ABSTRACT

In a double-ended, or feed-through, connector wherein a pair of connector members are arranged back-to-back, for reception of cable plugs, a pair of preformed covers, such as of plastic, of identical construction having elements symmetrically arranged, and fitted on opposite sides of the connector members, frictionally fitted together, and together enclosing the space between the connector members and the connecting elements in that space.

United States Patent Elkins [541 {COVER FOR FEED-THROUGH CONNECTOR [72] Inventor: Luejene Elkins, Chicago, 111.

[73] Assignee: The Bunker-Ramo Oak Brook,l11.

22] Filed: March 24, 1971 [21] App]. No.: 127,456

[52] US. Cl ..339/l56 R, 339/18 P, 339/208 [51] Int. Cl. ..H0lr 23/02 [58] Field of Search ..339/18 C, 18 P, 141, 154 R, 339/154 A,155,156,176 M, 176 MP, 176

MP, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 210, 198 J [5 6] References. Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,179,915 4/1965 .Klassen ..339/208 3,273,105 9/1966 Klassen ..339/210 R Corporation,

[451 Dec. 5, 1972 6/1964 Cole et a] ..339/l7 F OTHER PUBLICATIONS Burgess, Switchable Cable Connector, lBM Tech. Disc. Bulletin, Vol. 6, No. 5, page 42, October-963 Prim ary Examiner-Marvin A. Champion Assistant Examiner-Lawrence J. Staab Att0rneyFrederick M. Arbuckle [5 7] ABSTRACT In a double-ended, or feed-through, connector wherein a pair of connector members are arranged back-to-back, for reception of cable plugs, a pair of preformed covers, such as of plastic, of identical construction having elements symmetrically arranged, and fitted on opposite sides of the connector members, frictionally fitted together, and together enclosing the space between the connector members and the connecting elements in that space.

5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures COVER FOR FEED-THROUGH CONNECTOR FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention resides in the field of double-ended connectors having connector members, which quite often are both male or both female, for connection with corresponding cables. The connector includes conductors between the connector members interconnecting the contacts therein. It is necessary to enclose that space and protect those conductors, and' heretofore it has been the practice to provide such an enclosure by potting, or molding it in place.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION A broad object of the invention is to provide novel preformed cover means for a double-ended connector which can be applied merely by physically moving them toward each other into-place over the members forming the connector, and such movement secures them together in an enclosure which completely encloses the space between the connector members.

Another object is to provide in feed-through connector means of the character referred to, wherein the cover means includes a pair of preformed cover members which can be fitted together over the space between theconnector members and when so fitted together they completely enclose that space, both on the sides and at the ends.

Another and more specific object is to provide cover meansof the kind immediately referred to, in which the cover members which arecompletely symmetrical, whereby to minimize the costs involved both in the manufacture of the cover members because all of them can be formed from a single mold, and also in the'assembly of the cover members, which includes only picking any two such cover members without discrimination, and fitting them together over the connector members.

Another main object of the invention is to provide novel cover means for a double-ended connector of the general character referred to wherein great economy is realized in the elimination of molding or potting practices heretofore utilized,'which were expensive, and in minimizing labor efforts necessary for applying the cover'means to the connector membersj v A further and specific object is to provide cover means for connector means of the character referred to including preformed members with novel interlocking connection whereby to prevent separation of the cover members without destroying them. I

A further object is to provide a novel method of forming a double-ended connector means by producing a pair of connector members and forming them into a common connector, and enclosing the interrelated portions of those connector members by preformed cover means thereto.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION:

In the drawings FIG. 1 is a face view of a connector made according to the present invention with indications of connector cables of the kind adapted for connection thereto;

FIG. 2 is a perspective and exploded view of a connector made according to the present invention, with a portion broken away;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a pair of connector members that are connected together and the cover members making up the cover means;

FIG. 4 is a face view of the inner surface of a cover member; and

FIG. 5 is a side edge view of a cover member.

Referring .in detail to the drawings, FIGS. 1-3 show a feed-through connector means including a pair of connector members and conductors connecting them together as in previously known devices. Such connector means in general are known, and are referred to variously in the trade as double-ended connectors, adaptors, jumpers, and goof plugs. Such a connector means includes as its maincomponents, the connector members and conductors interconnecting the contacts of the connector members, and means enclosing and protecting at least a portion of the connector members and the connections therebetween. Referring toFIGS. l-3 a connector of the character referred to above is indicated broadly at 10. The connector means includes a pair of connector members 12 of known kind each having a plurality of contacts that are interconnected by conductors 14. The contacts in the connector member may be both of the same character, i.e., both male or both female, or they may be one male and one female, etc., in a known manner. Such a connector means is utilized for connection therewith by cables 16 also of known kind. The connector members 12 heretofore have been enclosed by means of a potting process, or depositing molding v material therearound, enclosing the space 18 between those connector members.

The present invention includes cover means 20 made up of a pair of identical cover members 22. The details of the construction of the cover members is given hereinbelow.

The connector members 12 are, from the standpoint of the application of the cover means 20 thereto, essentially identical, each having tubular portions 24 directed outwardly away from each other and inner portions 26 on opposite sides of the space 18 directed toward each other. The connector members, whether male or female, include a plurality of contacts28 having outer elements 30 exposed in the tubular portions 24 for connection with corresponding elements in the cables 16, and inner terminals 32 in the inner portions 26 exposed on opposite sides of the space 18 interconnected by the conductors 14. Each connector member includes plate-like elements 36 on each of the portions 24, 26, which are fitted together and which together form flanges 38 which are utilized in applying the cover means to the connector members.

Each cover member 22 includes a main panel 40 of plate-like'form having longitudinal reinforcing ribs 42 on the inner surface adjacent the edges thereof, and intumed end elements 43. At each end is interlocking means indicated generally at 44 which in itself includes a projection 46 and a recess 48, of identical shape as viewed in plan, and preferably L-shape for providing greater strength in each of transverse directions. The projections 46 and recesses 48 at opposite ends are symmetrically arranged, in all directions in the plane of the cover member, whereby to enable interfitting of a pair of identical cover members as referred to again hereinbelow.

Each cover member 22 also includes an interlocking formation 50 at each of the four corners, each formation including a pair of ribs 52 defining a groove 54 therebetween. If desired the intermediate portion of the main panel of the cover member may be reduced in width to form a waist portion 56 to reduce the overall size and mass of the cover member, this width being sufficient to cover the space intended between the connector members at that location.

The projections 46 and recesses 48 are quite specifically dimensioned so as to produce an interference fit, to prevent, from a practical standpoint, separation of the cover members once they are connected together.

Reference is now made to assembling the various components together to form the final completed device. At this point it is desired to refer again to the previous forms of the invention wherein once the connector members 12 are interconnected by the conductors 14, the potting or molding step completely enclosed the space and portions of the connector members, .resulting in a unitary, and effectively integral device. In the present instance, the cover means also produces a unitary device with the connector members 12, but with distinct advantages relative to the means and processes heretofore known. To form the final connector in the present case, a sub-assembly including the connector members 12 and conductors 14 are appropriately positioned; a first of the cover members 22,

as at the bottom of FIG. 3, is put into position by moving it toward the connector members 12 as indicated by the arrow 58 into engagement therewith wherein the flanges 38 are received in the grooves 54, the final position being indicated in FIG. 2. Then another cover member 22 is positioned above the sub-assembly theretofore made, and is moved downwardly in the direction indicated by the arrow 60 into engagement with the connector members 12 and the bottom cover member 22. In this movement, the locking means 50 again operatively engages the flanges 38 and the projections 46 enter into respective ones of the recesses 48.

The dimensions and proportions of the various elements of each cover member 22 are such that when a pair of them are fitted to the connector members 12 the side edges of the main panel 40 of the cover members firmly engage the adjacent portions of the connector members such as the portions 26, and the projections 46 engage the recesses 48 in an interference fit. They can be put in position by relatively small force such as by squeezing them with the fingers. However, they cannot be separated by ordinary forces and in fact they can be separated, from a practical standpoint, only by breaking or destroying the cover members.

The main panels 40 of the cover members, as indicated above, completely cover the side portions of the space 18 and the'end elements or flanges 43 extend down over the ends of the space 18 and meet when the cover members are interconnected, whereby the main panel members and end elements 43 together form a complete and continuous envelope or enclosure, en-

tirely enclosing the space 18, protecting the various elements therein, including the inner ends of the contacts 28 and the conductors 14.

The cover members 22 may be made of any suitable material, such as polypropylene plastic material, molded to shape.

Great advantages are realized in the use of the present invention, A primary and foremost advantage is the elimination of the potting or molding of cover material in place as heretofore utilized, because in that case the placement of the plastic material in a covering position was extremely expensive, principally because of the time involved, such as the operator placing the sub-assembly in position and then molding the covering molded material in position. In the present instance great labor saving is effected because the operator can apply the cover members to the connector members by simply placing the two cover members to the connector members and manually squeezing them together.

Another great advantage is that if it should be found that the contacts in the connector members are improperly connected through the conductors 14, the cover members could be removed, and while this may involve destruction of the cover members, that fact is relatively small compared with the fact that the connector members themselves can be saved while that would not be possible in the potted covering means heretofore used. The replacement of new cover means involves very small cost compared with the value of the connector members. Still another advantage is that any rupture of the cover means that may have occurred after the device has been put into use would indicate possible tampering, which is of course an element of value in the marketing of the devices.

I claim:

1. A connector unit comprising in combination,

a pair of connector members disposed in back-toback relation with a space therebetween, each including contacts with elements exposed on the outer sides of the connector members directed outwardly from each other for engagement by other contacts, and elements disposed in such space and directed toward each other,

conductors in said space interconnecting the elements of the contacts in the connector members,

connector members lying in what is essentially a plane, the connector members having flanges at the ends thereof lying in parallel planes perpendicular to the plane of the connector members,

cover means including a pair of identical and symmetrical cover members, having planar elements covering the space between the connector members on opposite sides thereof, and those planar elements having end elements directed toward each other and enclosing said space at the ends thereof,

each cover member including an interlocking element at each of its corners, each interlocking element including a pair of transversely spaced ribs forming a groove therebetween,

the cover members being positioned on opposite sides of the connector members with the flanges of the connector members received in the grooves of the interlocking elements of the cover members whereby to restrain transverse displacement of the connector members relative to the cover members and relative to each other, and

the cover members having end flanges which interengage as between the cover members forming enclosing means at the ends of the space between the connector members whereby the cover members completely surround and enclose the space between the connector members.

2. Cover means for a double ended connector of the kind including a pair of connector members arranged back-to-back with oppositely outwardly exposed contacts for detachable engagement by other contacts, and a space between the connector members with conductors in the space interconnecting respective contacts in the connector members,

said cover means comprising,

,. a pair of preformed cover members identical in construction, positioned on opposite sides of said space in engagement with the connector members, and having locking elements including projections and recesses on each of the cover members, frictionally interengaged for connecting them together,

the cover members when so in place enclosing the opposite sides of said space, said projections and recesses being of L-shape in cross-section whereby to provide increased strength in each of opposite transverse directions.

3. Cover means for a double ended connector of the kind including a pair of connector members arranged back-to-back with oppositely outwardly exposed contacts for detachable engagement by other contacts, and a space between the connector members with conductors in the space interconnecting respective contacts in the connector members, where said connector members each have a flange extending longitudinally beyond the remaining portions of the connector member,

said cover means comprising,

a pair of preformed cover members identical in construction, positioned on opposite sides of said space in engagement with the connector members, said cover members being approximately rectangular with four corners, and having at each corner an interlocking element including a pair of transversely spaced ribs forming a groove therebetween, the cover members being so dimensioned and proportioned that the flanges of the connector members are received in said grooves, and the interengagement between the flanges and the grooves provides interlock between the cover members and connector members restraining relative transverse movement between the connector members. 4. A cover member for use in conjunction with double-ended connector means comprising,

a single unitary member including a main body portion generally in the form of a planar member of generally rectangular conformation with four corners, having an outer plane surface and having an inner surface provided with interlocking elements including an interlocking formation at each end of said planar member, each interlocking formation including a projection extending perpendicularly from the body portion and a recess in the body portion adjacent to the projection, the projections and recesses being disposed in a symmetrical pattern around a central axis perpendicular to the plane of the body member, the projections and recesses as viewed in direction perpendicular to the plane of the body member each being of L-shape, whereby to provide maximum strength in both of mutually transverse directions, and being dimensioned for interference fitting, whereby a pair of such cover members can be interconnected by inserting the projections into the recesses.

5. A cover member according to claim 4 which also includes connector flange engaging formation at each of its four corners, each such formation including a pair of transversely spaced ribs forming a groove therebetween, the several grooves extending in parallel directions. 

1. A connector unit comprising in combination, a pair of connector members disposed in back-to-back relation with a space therebetween, each including contacts with elements exposed on the outer sides of the connector members directed outwardly from each other for engagement by other contacts, and elements disposed in such space and directed toward each other, conductors in said space interconnecting the elements of the contacts in the connector members, connector members lying in what is essentially a plane, the connector members having flanges at the ends thereof lying in parallel planes perpendicular to the plane of the connector members, cover means including a pair of identical and symmetrical cover members, having planar elements covering the space between the connector members on opposite sides thereof, and those planar elements having end elements directed toward each other and enclosing said space at the ends thereof, each cover member including an interlocking element at each of its corners, each interlocking element including a pair of transversely spaced ribs forming a groove therebetween, the cover members being positioned on opposite sides of the connector members with the flanges of the connector members received in the grooves of the interlocking elements of the cover members whereby to restrain transverse displacement of the connector members relative to the cover members and relative to each other, and the cover members having end flanges which interengage as between the cover members forming enclosing means at the ends of the space between the connector members whereby the cover members completely surround and enclose the space between the connector members.
 2. Cover means for a double ended connector of the kind including a pair of connector members arranged back-to-back with oppositely outwardly exposed contacts for detachable engagement by other contacts, and a space between the connector members with conductors in the space interconnecting respective contacts in the connector members, said cover means comprising, a pair of preformed cover members identical in construction, positioned on opposite sides of said space in engagement with the connector members, and having locking elements including projections and recesses on each of the cover members, frictionally interengaged for connecting them together, the cover members when so in place enclosing the opposite sides of said space, said projections and recesses being of L-shape in cross-section whereby to provide increased strength in each of opposite transverse directions.
 3. Cover means for a double ended connector of the kind including a pair of connector members arranged back-to-back with oppositely outwardly exposed contacts for detachable engagement by other contacts, and a space between the connector members with conductors in the space interconnecting respective contacts in the connector members, where said connector members each have a flange extending longitudinally beyond the remaining portions of the connector member, said cover means comprising, a pair of preformed cover members identical in construction, positioned on opposite sides of said space in engagement with the connector members, said cover members being approximately rectangular with four corners, and having at each corner an interlocking element including a pair of transversely spaced ribs forming a groove therebetween, the cover members being so dimensioned and proportioned that the flanges of the connector members are received in said grooves, and the interengagement between the flanges and the grooves provides interlock between the cover members and connector members restraining relative transverse movement between the connector members.
 4. A cover member for use in conjunction with double-ended connector means comprising, a single unitary member including a main body portion generally in the form of a planar member of generally rectangular conformation with four corners, having an outer plane surface and having an inner surface provided with interlocking elements including an interlocking formation at each end of said planar member, each interlocking formation including a projection extending perpendicularly from the body portion and a recess in the body portion adjacent to the projection, the projections and recesses being disposed in a symmetrical pattern around a central axis perpendicular to the plane of the body member, the projections and recesses as viewed in direction perpendicular to the plane of the body member each being of L-shape, whereby to provide maximum strength in both of mutually transverse directions, and being dimensioned for interference fitting, whereby a pair of such cover members can be interconnected by inserting the projections into the recesses.
 5. A cover member according to claim 4 which also includes connector flange engaging formation at each of its four corners, each such formation including a pair of transversely spaced ribs forming a groove therebetween, the several grooves extending in parallel directions. 